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Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Pompeo is an American actress, best known for her role as Meredith Grey in Grey's Anatomy (2005-present). Early Life Ellen Kathleen Pompeo was born on November 10, 1969, in Everett, Massachusetts, to Kathleen B. O'Keefe and Joseph E. Pompeo, a surgeon. She grew up in Boston. Her father was Italian, English, and Irish and her mother was Irish. She was raised Roman Catholic. Kathleen died of a painkiller overdose when Ellen was five. Joseph remarried shortly after. He died on September 1, 2012. She has five siblings: three sisters and two brothers. She worked as a bartender in Miami. Career In 1995, while living in New York City, she was approached by a casting director to appear in commercials for Citibank and L'Oreal. In 1996, she made her television debut by guest-starring in the NBC legal police drama, Law & Order. She later appeared in the series in 2000. In 1999, she made her feature film debut in Coming Soon, playing a small part. In 2000, she guest-starred on Strangers with Candy, Strong Medicine and Friends. In 2001, she participated in the movie Mambo Cafe with Thalia. In 2002, she made her major studio screen debut in Brad Silberling's Moonlight Mile, starring with Susan Sarandon, Dustin Hoffman and Jake Gyllenhaal. She received outstanding reviews for her performance as an outspoken young woman who carried a silent burden that was breaking her heart. In the same year, she starred in Steven Spielberg's fact-based Catch Me If You Can, also starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In 2003, she appeared in Old School as the love interest. She also played the role of Karen Page in Daredevil. In 2004, she portrayed Jim Carrey's ex-girlfriend, Naomi, in the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her scenes were cut from the film. In 2005, she landed her first major role on the ABC medical drama series Grey's Anatomy, created by Shonda Rhimes. She plays the title character and series' protagonist, Meredith Grey, a surgical intern at a prestigious hospital. The series was a breakout hit and in later seasons the highest-rated TV drama in the key 18-49 demographic. In 2011, she signed a new contract for Grey's Anatomy in 2011 that increased her salary to US$200,000 per episode. On May 10, 2012, it was announced that she signed a contract for two more seasons. She extended her contract for two more years, which had her involved until the twelfth season. In 2013, she earned $350,000 per episode plus millions from syndication. In 2007, she and the female cast and crew of Grey's Anatomy received the Women in Film Lucy Award, which honors those "whose work in television has positively influenced attitudes toward women." She was honored by the National Italian American Foundation for her achievement in entertainment at a black-tie gala in Washington, DC. In 2011, she launched her own product company called Calamity Jane which sold its first project to ABC, an untitled show about female agents on the Secretary of State's security detail. In August 2014, it was announced that she was developing two dramas with ABC Studios - adaptation of Rachel Carey's 2013 novel Debt for ABC Family, and untitled female police drama for ABC. She appeared in the music video of Bad Blood, a song from Taylor Swift's fifth album, 1989. In October 2015, it was announced that she was developing the Spanish thriller Motivos Personales with London-based company, New Media Vision. In 2012, she was named the eighth highest paid TV actress in 2012, earning $9 million. In 2015, she was ranked fourth in the list of highest paid television actresses and earned $11.5 million. In 2014, she announced that she will not be acting after Grey's Anatomy ends. She said: "I definitely don't have a strong desire to act after Grey's. I definitely feel myself transitioning. I don't find acting terribly empowering." Personal Life While bartending in Miami, she started dating fashion photographer Andrew Rosenthal. In 1995, they moved to New York City. In 2001, she moved to Los Angeles, California. In 2003, she met Chris Ivery in a Los Angeles grocery store and began dating. They married on September 9, 2007. On September 15, 2009, she gave birth to daughter, Stella Luna. In September 2014, she welcomed another daughter, Sienna May, with the help of a surrogate mother. They also own two toy poodles since they don't shed. She suffers from the chronic respiratory disease asthma and several allergies. She follows a healthy lifestyle, meditates twice a day for 20 minutes each, and does so inside her trailer in between takes as well. Filmography Film Television Music Video Awards & Nominations Official Account * Ellen Pompeo on Twitter * Ellen Pompeo on Facebook * Ellen Pompeo on Instagram * Ellen Pompeo on Insstar.com * Ellen Pompeo on Instagweb.com * Ellen Pompeo on Buzzcent.com * Ellen Pompeo on Insstars.com * Ellen Pompeo on Photostags.com Trivia * Allergic to cats * Quit acting after Grey's Anatomy * Knows what a lot of medical term mean because it helps her learn her lines * Loves when fan come up to her on the street because they always have interesting stories to tell * Wanted to do a different ABC pilot, written by Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman, called Secret Service * When it didn't get picked up, she was asked to play Meredith Grey * Nickname is the 'The Pencil' * Out of all the relationships, Mark and Lexie were her favorite * Suffers from asthma * Oldest daughter, Stella, wants to be an emergency room doctor when she grows up * Every time she gets on set, she goes straights to Linda Klein's office to play with medical supplies * Encouraged her daughter, who loved to stage weddings for her dolls, to stage same-sex weddings References